The positive impact of South Sudanese basketball on the country, continent and basketball world is immense. It is sweeping across the basketball world and beyond.
The USA vs South Sudan at Pierre Mauroy Stadium was a contest that had the arena buzzing, thousands of basketball lovers streamed in all donning different jerseys. You could see James, Curry, Tatum, KD and more NBA stars, occasionally you would see the late Kobe. There was Chicago Bulls, Lakers, Boston Celtics – name them.
Fans turned up in their favorite NBA player's jersey especially those at the Olympic Games for Team USA. There is no doubt, the NBA is a product.
But the night also belonged to South Sudan, the sole African men’s team at the Paris Olympic Games. The youngest African nation who have dared to dream and achieve the unexpected within four years since their first proper international competition in January 2020.
Bright Stars are a fearless and hungry team out to rewrite the history of South Sudan using basketball to shape the positive opinion of South Sudan. It is a movement. That is what happens every time they get on the court and it was the same on Wednesday night when they went down fighting against a star studded USA. It is more than basketball.
South Sudan is now known worldwide, not for civil war and conflict but for Basketball, a sport they fit in perfectly – they were built for that, not only the physique but their basketball mind.
“Obviously, I think, first of all, with the South Sudan basketball journey, since we started in Nairobi, so far, it has been nothing short of a miracle. We didn't expect to be here, but through hard work facing adversity and just overcoming all the challenges, we're able to come together, play for something that is more than just basketball,” Captain Kuany Kuany who has been in the team since inception in 2020 told Michezo Afrika Kuany Kuany.
Most of the players became refugees in Australia, Canada or the USA, some passing through Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya. Basketball brought all of them together to represent South Sudan
Before the tip-off, across the restaurants in Lille, there were South Sudanese supporters who had travelled all the way to cheer their team.
“And once they saw the impact we were having, guys were able to come in, guys from all over the world and just represent the country. And we're able to progress, go to afro basket. It means a lot seeing the fans here. Everybody's supporting, everybody cheering. It's amazing to see.”
Playing each other for the second time after their exhibition match in London, the Olympic clash tipped off at 21.00, in time LeBron James for 2 two-point shots and one from Davis Anthony earned USA 6 points before Kuol Bol two-point shot and Nuni Omot three-pointer brought South Sudan back in the game with five points. And inside 5.57 South Sudan took a one-point lead of 6-7, and they went up to 10-8. Then it was 10.10 inside 4.20 minutes and when KD was brought on the crowd was excited.
At the end of quarter one, it was the USA leading South Sudan 26-14, on the return the USA was again back to business and it was in cruising control with 55-36 against South Sudan (29-22). The third and fourth quarters were similar with 73-57 in Q3 (18-21), the game ended with the USA defeating South Sudan 103-86 (30-29).
The depth and talent in Team USA is out of this world -it has six NBA champions, 12 NBA All-Stars and four NBA MVPs. South Sudan on the other side is ranked at 33 but this ranking does not reflect on their play on court – they are fast and good at 3-pointers. Against USA, Nuni Omot hit double digits with 24 points.
“Obviously it's USA, the best team in the world with the top players in the world. There are a few things that we didn't do well that if we go back, we wish we could have changed. But at the end of the day, these are the best players in the world. They're going to compete, make shots. For us, we're just happy that we competed, although it was almost a 20-point loss, we set up another game of comeback, and this is basketball” Kuany said looking forward to the preliminary match against World Champions Serbia.
South Sudan journey
When South Sudan commenced this journey in January 2020 at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi, they aimed to get out of Zone 5, it was one game at a time. But then the Luol Deng led team progressed further to Afrobasket, qualified for the FIBA World Championships and subsequently for the Olympic Games for the first time. A team of firsts. At the Olympic games, they registered a win against Puerto Rico in their opening game.
They are not giving up yet, that is one recommendable trait of South Sudan basketball. It is not over yet for the Bright Stars who will face Serbia on Saturday in the final preliminary match.
“It's definitely not over, especially against Serbia. I know a very tough team. We played them in the World Cup. They beat us there, but now depending on how we play, we have a chance to advance, I know to the quarter finals. So, for us, we're gonna go in lock in coming ready to play. Give it 100% because it's definitely not over,” Kuany Kuany.
The positive impact of South Sudanese basketball on the country, continent and basketball world is immense. It is sweeping across the basketball world and beyond.
It is empowering. It is inspiring, the continent and its young people are able to dream – they see the possibility.